Reminiscent of another converted shortstop that became a relief pitcher, the Padres approached the 23-year-old and suggested he try a position change. A strong-armed defensive specialist as a shortstop, Javy Guerra started pitching in June of 2019 and threw 17 innings at Lake Elsinore with 23 strikeouts and a 1.059 WHIP. He topped out his fastball at 100 mph and got whiffs with his bitting slider.
That prompted a trial in Double-A Amarillo for 4.1 innings with seven strikeouts and a 2.08 ERA. On Sept 1, 2019, he got a major league promotion as a right-handed relief pitcher.